–Agri-fest exhibitors say
AS the curtains came down on the Agri-Investment Forum and Expo on Sunday evening, many exhibitors have hailed this year’s expo as one that has presented endless networking opportunities for them.
This year’s forum and expo was held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre and saw hundreds of exhibitors, businesses and agro-processors hoping to expand their businesses and find new markets for their products.
The ‘expo’ drew in persons in the agriculture sector from around the globe and provided opportunities for local businesses to branch into foreign markets.
Entrepreneur Dixie Jordan told the Guyana Chronicle on Sunday that this was her second time at the Agri-investment Forum and Expo and that she was happy to be able to interact with many different persons at the ‘expo’ who were interested in her business and the products that she offers.
Jordan’s business, ‘Dixie’s Punch de crème’, which is based in Buxton, East Coast Demerara, is a line of locally made cream liqueurs with three flavoured variations made from all locally sourced materials.
According to her, the ‘expo’ has provided her with great exposure for her business.
“I think it’s great exposure for a business like my business because I have been able to meet people that I wouldn’t normally get to meet,” she said.
Against this backdrop, she added that she was able to interact with large beverage companies that seemed to be interested in her line of beverages; diplomats and other persons, and she expects to see fruitful outcomes from networking that involves a wide cross-section of people.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the ‘expo’ was Cindy Halls, whose business specialises in locally made skincare products, from face and body bars to body wash, face scrubs and much more.
She told this newspaper that thousands of persons traversed the grounds of the ‘expo’, and though sales have been on the slower side, she was able to interact with many persons, and share details about her product line, ‘Natural Glow Organic Skincare’.
Halls added that the exposure is great, and shared an example of the types of connections that she was able to make over the three-day period.
She noted that while meeting a number of potential customers, she even met persons who provided her with information, and opened her eyes to the ways in which she can expand her business, and even export her products.
This seemed to be a common theme among many of the exhibitors present at the ‘expo’.
Falana Fraser of ‘Favour’s Hair Therapy’, which specialises in all-natural plant-based hair products, said that this is the fourth ‘expo’ where she has been able to put her line of products on display.
With a dream of one day expanding her business, and moving products to the international market, she said that the government-organised ‘expo’ is a great initiative that provides opportunities for small businesses.
“My dream for my business is to be in the international market, and so the ‘expo’ is a great initiative for that. It’s a good start; I’ve had foreigners come by, and they were amazed by the products, and gave me their business cards and collected my information on how we can possibly work together if I was interested in exporting,” she said, while adding that she was extremely grateful to be a part of this year’s activity.
